BIG BANG is recognized as an unprecedentedly historical idol group in Korea’s music scene. The team’s outstanding success is still continuing, in its 10th year since their debut.

BIG BANG swept Korea’s pop market with single project “MADE SERIES” in which new songs were released every month for four months last year. BIG BANG proved their formidable influence once again by receiving the best song of the year award for May, June, July, and August of the year 2015 in “The 5th Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards”.

Such big success was possible because of big popularity of their new songs off their “M.A.D.E: series, including “LOSER”, “BANG BANG BANG”, “IF YOU”, and “LET’S NOT FALL IN LOVE”.

The outstanding quality of those songs and big support from fans who had long waited for BIG BANG’s comeback also greatly contributed to the success. BIG BANG came back with the “MADE SERIES” three years after special edition “STILL ALIVE” released in June, 2012.

In a recent interview with Star News, G-Dragon expressed his gratitude by saying, “Releasing new singles every month was a kind of adventure and a new trial. I felt a burden and had concerns about the project. However, many people loved our music and enjoyed it. I would like to thank the staff who have worked for us once again”.

“I’M SO HAPPY JUST FOR THE FACT THAT BIG BANG IS PERFORMING MUSIC ON THE STAGE FOR 10 YEARS. FURTHERMORE, BIG BANG HAVE BEEN LOVED BY SO MANY PEOPLE. I WAS SOMEWHAT WORRIED BECAUSE THE “MADE” ALBUM WAS RELEASED LAST YEAR AFTER A LONG TIME OF ABSENCE. HOWEVER, EVERY SONG OF THE PROJECT ENJOYED BIG POPULARITY, SO LAST YEAR WAS ALL THE MORE MEANINGFUL FOR US”. (DAESUNG)

BIG BANG is a K-pop star who is recognized overseas as well. BIG BANG has been standing on the vanguard of the Korean Wave, attracting as many as 1.5 million people to their world tour “MADE” that held concerts in 32 cities in 13 countries.

“THE TOUR WAS A VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE WITH MORE FANS IN MORE COUNTRIES AND REGIONS IN ASIA. I HOPE TO SEE MORE FANS IN EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD AS FAR AS TIME PERMITS”. (G-DRAGON)

The following are BIG BANG’s answers to questions:

– BIG BANG swept the best singer of the year awards for May to August of last year with “MADE” project. You took No.1 with all the songs released every month last year. What do you think the reason for the big popularity of BIGBANG’s songs is?

▶(G-DRAGON) I think people enjoy our songs, as each song has different color and mood. Maybe it is because of the effect of the season. The same song creates different moods on different stages, and I think people can feel that difference, too.

▶(TAEYANG) It was possible because the five of us were together, and we also had a good luck.

▶(DAESUNG) I think our team has had a very good luck. I don’t know why, but we release our music only when we’re confident in it and people appreciate such effort of us and they enjoy our music ad performances. I also believe part of the reason why people like our music is because our members have been together for a long time”.

▶(SEUNGRI) I think YG’s best producers and G-Dragon played the biggest role in such success.

– BIG BANG celebrates the 10th anniversary of debut this year. Including the release of “MADE” full-length album, fans have big anticipation for BIG BANG’s plans for the year 2016. What are your plans?

▶(G-DRAGON) Actually, we have no specific plans. We definitely have some big projects. However, as this year is our 10th anniversary of debut and the time left for us this year is so precious, we would like to take a more careful approach. It could be a new album or a new concert. Anyway, we want to take a meaningful step for both ourselves and our fans.

▶(TAEYANG) We’re carrying out “MADE” tour this year, too, continuing from the last year. It will end in March in Seoul. If it is possible, we want to complete “MADE” album, and then begin a new project. As this year marks the 10th anniversary of our debut, we want to make the final concert meaningful, to celebrate it.

▶(T.O.P) We’re doing some preparations. We hope you have a big anticipation.

▶(DAESUNG) Our biggest goal for this year is to complete “MADE”’s full album first. Then, we’ll also have concerts and other events so that we can celebrate the 10th anniversary with as many fans as possible.

▶(SEUNGRI) I really want to complete “MADE” series in a great success.

– You’ll soon to join the army and that is mentioned from time to time these days. What kind of conversation do you have between yourselves about BIG BANG’s future?

▶(G-DRAGON) Actually, we try not to talk about our future. We’re busy enjoying every second of the time left for us. One thing that is certain though, is that our future will be greater than the present. We believe that tomorrow will be better than today, and we act with such belief”.

▶(TAEYANG) We’ve mentioned it many times that we want to do our music and perform on the stage until we feel someday that we’re not cool on the stage any longer”.

▶(T.O.P) We always plan for positive future.

▶(DAESUNG) It is true that there won’t be that many opportunities to stand on the stage as a complete team before we go to serve our military service. That is why every performance of us these days is so meaningful and precious. We’ll of course continue to perform our music after we come back from the army, but we have no specific plans yet.

– YG’s junior idol group iKON received rookie awards in a variety of end-of-year music awards last year. What do you feel when you see such growth of junior singers?

▶(G-DRAGON) That reminds me of seniors. I think I can now understand them. I really adore those junior singers and rather than giving advice, I just want to buy them good dinner.

▶(SEUNGRI) I hope iKON will work harder and achieve a big success.

▶(T.O.P) I feel really proud of them.

▶(DAESUNG) We’ve seen and cheered for both WINNER and iKON since they were trainees, so we feel good to see them performing on the stage. As they have just taken their first step, I hope they will work harder and we ourselves will be better artists who can set a good example for them.

– What is your message for fans?

▶(G-DRAGON) “Thank you!” I want to say it with all my heart.

▶(TAEYANG) The five of us could be together and perform on the stage for the past 10 years thank to our fans’ unchanging love. We can never thank enough. Thank you. I love you.

▶(T.O.P) I can never forget my gratitude for fans for even a second. I love you.

▶(SEUNGRI) We’ll give back to your great love by performing actively in the year 2016, too!

▶(DAESUNG) “Thank you. Thank you”. That is what I want to say to our fans. It is just some common words that anyone says frequently, but these days, I think about those words’ real meaning. I thank my fans for all their support so far. I want to want to continue to create music that leaves a deep impression. Thank you for loving these five ordinary boys and I want to tell you than we love you so much, too”.

Several K-pop singers left the day with great wins at the 30th Japan Gold Disc Awards, held by the Japan Record Association.

TVXQ won Best Asian Artist three years in a row and Best Music Video, as well.

BIG BANG was the only artist to receive an award in the music download category for the song “BANG BANG BANG” in the Asia division. On top of that, they won with the downloads from the Korean version of “BANG BANG BANG”, not their Japanese version.

EXO won the Rookie Artist Award out of all and Best 3 Rookies in the Asia division. The other two winners of the Best 3 Rookies are Block B and Dal Shabet. Dal Shabet is the only Korean girl group to have won an award this year at the event.

Super Junior won an award in the album category out of all and the Best 3 Albums within the Asia division. The Best 3 Albums Award was another award to be prized to only K-pop stars: Super Junior, 2PM, and 2PM’s Junho.

These awards are a result of the consistent hard work TVXQ, BIG BANG, Super Junior, 2PM, EXO, Dal Shabet, and Block B have put into their skills and the sales of their records.

Japan Gold Disc Awards is one of the most prestigious music awards in the country, and determines its recipients by their CD, video, and music file sales from January 1 to December 31.

(BBU NOTE: I think by “concert” here they mean fan meet. Big Bang has been scheduled for fan meetings in China from a while back.)

BIG BANG will continue holding concerts in China’s major cities for their 2016 BIG BANG MADE [V.I.P] TOUR. Xinhua and Tencent reported that BIG BANG’s first concert this year will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai on March 11 at 7 PM and on March 12 at 1:30 PM and 7 PM.

They also reported that BIG BANG’s concert in Shanghai will be followed by a concert at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center in Shenzhen on March 13. Afterwards, BIG BANG is to hold concerts in Zhengzhou, Nanjing, Hefei, Hangzhou, Nanchang, and Changsha.

The ticket sale for BIG BANG’s concert in Shanghai opened on February 15, and the tickets were sold out within the day on some websites, according to Xinhua.

Xinhua also reported that the ticket sale for BIG BANG’s Shenzhen opened at 1 PM on February 24, and on some websites, all the tickets were sold on that day, demonstrating BIG BANG’s huge popularity in China.

Last year, BIG BANG held concerts in China’s major cities for their MADE tour.

BIG BANG is ready to enthrall the Chinese fans and send them into a frenzy in the beautiful season of spring building on the popularity they gained by releasing singles every month.

Meanwhile, BIG BANG is to hold concerts in Seoul under the title of “BIG BANG WORLD TOUR [MADE] FINAL IN SEOUL” from March 4 to 6 at the Olympic Gymnastics Stadium.

The concert on the 6th will be broadcasted live in China through Tencent Video (in China).